the memoirs of cardinal de retz-第6部分

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reat　figure；　even　in　their　own　profession；　were；　perhaps；　two　of　the　most　peaceable　persons　in　the　kingdom。　　But　there　are　some　fires　which　burn　all　before　them。　　The　main　thing　is　to　know　and　seize　the　critical　moment。

The　Count　had　charged　me　to　disclose　myself　to　none　in　Paris　besides　these　two；　but　I　ventured　to　add　two　more：　Parmentier；　substitute　to　the　Attorney…General；　and　his　brother…in…law；　Epinai；　auditor　of　the　Chamber　of　Accounts；　who　was　the　man　of　the　greatest　credit；　though　but　a　lieutenant；　and　the　other　a　captain。　　Parmentier；　who；　both　by　his　wit　and　courage；　was　as　capable　of　a　great　action　as　any　man　I　ever　knew；　promised　me　that　he　would　answer　for　Brigalier；　councillor　in　the　Court　of　Aids；　captain　in　his　quarter；　and　very　powerful　among　the　people；　but　told　me　at　the　same　time　that　he　must　not　know　a　word　of　the　matter；　because　he　was　a　mere　rattle；　not　to　be　trusted　with　a　secret。

The　Count　made　me　a　remittance　of　12；000　crowns；　which　I　carried　to　my　aunt　De　Maignelai；　telling　her　that　it　was　a　restitution　made　by　one　of　my　dying　friends；　who　made　me　trustee　of　it　upon　condition　that　I　should　distribute　it　among　decayed　families　who　were　ashamed　to　make　their　necessities　known；　and　that　I　had　taken　an　oath　to　distribute　it　myself；　persuant　to　the　desire　of　the　testator；　but　that　I　was　at　a　loss　to　find　out　fit　objects　for　my　charity；　and　therefore　I　desired　her　to　take　the　care　of　it　upon　her。　　The　good　woman　was　perfectly　transported；　and　said　she　would　do　it　with　all　her　heart；　but　because　I　had　sworn　to　make　the　distribution　myself；　she　insisted　upon　it　that　I　must　be　present；　not　only　for　the　sake　of　my　promise；　but　to　accustom　myself　to　do　acts　of　charity。　　This　was　the　very　thing　I　aimed　at；an　opportunity　of　knowing　all　the　poor　of　Paris。　　Therefore　I　suffered　myself　to　be　carried　every　day　by　my　aunt　into　the　outskirts；　to　visit　the　poor　in　their　garrets；　and　I　met　very　often　in　her　house　people　who　were　very　well　clad；　and　many　whom　I　once　knew；　that　came　for　private　charity。　　My　good　aunt　charged　them　always　to　pray　to　God　for　her　nephew；　who　was　the　hand　that　God　had　been　pleased　to　make　use　of　for　this　good　work。　　Judge　you　of　the　influence　this　gave　me　over　the　populace；　who　are　without　comparison　the　most　considerable　in　all　public　disturbances。　　For　the　rich　never　come　into　such　measures　unless　they　are　forced；　and　beggars　do　more　harm　than　good；　because　it　is　known　that　they　aim　at　plunder；　those；　therefore；　who　are　capable　of　doing　most　service　are　such　as　are　not　reduced　to　common　beggary；　yet　so　straitened　in　their　circumstances　as　to　wish　for　nothing　more　than　a　general　change　of　affairs　in　order　to　repair　their　broken　fortunes。　　I　made　myself　acquainted　with　people　of　this　rank　for　the　course　of　four　months　with　uncommon　application；　so　that　there　was　hardly　a　child　in　the　chimney…corner　but　I　gratified　with　some　small　token。　　I　called　them　by　their　familiar　names。　　My　aunt；　who　always　made　it　her　business　to　go　from　house　to　house　to　relieve　the　poor；　was　a　cloak　for　all。　　I　also　played　the　hypocrite；　and　frequented　the　conferences　of　Saint　Lazarus。

Varicarville　and　Beauregarde；　my　correspondents　at　Sedan；　assured　me　that　the　Comte　de　Soissons　was　as　well　inclined　as　one　could　wish；　and　that　he　had　not　wavered　since　he　had　formed　his　last　resolution。　　Varicarville　said　that　we　had　formerly　done　him　horrible　injustice；　and　that　they　were　now　even　obliged　to　restrain　him；　because　he　seemed　to　be　too　fond　of　the　counsels　of　Spain　and　the　Empire。　　Please　to　observe　that　these　two　Courts；　which　had　made　incredible　solicitations　to　him　while　he　wavered；　began；　as　soon　as　his　purpose　was　fixed；　to　draw　back；a　fatality　due　to　the　phlegmatic　temper　of　the　Spaniard；　dignified　by　the　name　of　prudence；　joined　to　the　astute　politics　of　the　house　of　Austria。　　You　may　observe　at　the　same　time　that　the　Count；　who　had　continued　firm　and　unshaken　three　months　together；　changed　his　mind　as　soon　as　his　enemies　had　granted　what　he　asked；　which　exactly　comes　up　to　the　character　of　an　irresolute　man；　who　is　always　most　unsteady　the　nearer　the　work　comes　to　its　conclusion。　　I　heard　of　this　convulsion；　as　one　may　call　it；　by　an　express　from　Varicarville；　and　took　post　the　same　night　for　Sedan；　arriving　there　an　hour　after　Aretonville；　an　agent　despatched　from　the　Count's　brother　in…law；　M。　de　Longueville。＇Henri　d'Orleans；　the　second　of　that　name；　died　1663。＇　He　came　with　some　plausible　but　deceitful　terms　of　accommodation　which　we　all　agreed　to　oppose。　　Those　who　had　been　always　with　the　Count　pressed　him　strongly　with　the　remembrance　of　what　he　himself　thought　or　said　was　necessary　to　be　done　ever　since　the　war　had　been　resolved　on。　　Saint…Ibal；　who　had　been　negotiating　for　him　at　Brussels；　pressed　him　with　his　engagements；　advances；　and　solicitations；　insisted　on　the　steps　I　had；　by　his　order；　already　taken　in　Paris；　on　the　promises　made　to　De　Vitri　and　Cremail；　and　on　the　secret　committed　to　two　persons　by　his　own　command；　and　to　four　others　for　his　service　and　with　his　consent。　　Our　arguments；　considering　his　engagements；　were　very　just　and　clear。　　We　carried　our　point　with　much　ado　after　a　conflict　of　four　days。　　Aretonville　was　sent　back　with　a　very　smart　answer。　　M。　de　Guise；　who　had　joined　the　Count；　and　was　a　well…wisher　to　a　rupture；　went　to　Liege　to　order　the　levies；　Varicarville　and　I　returned　to　Paris；　but　I　did　not　care　to　tell　my　fellow　conspirators　of　the　irresolution　of　our　principal。　　Some　symptoms　of　it　appeared　afterwards；　but　they　very　soon　vanished。

Being　assured　that　the　Spaniards　had　everything　in　readiness；　I　went　for　the　last　time　to　Sedan　to　take　my　final　instructions。　　There　I　found　Meternic；　colonel　of　one　of　the　oldest　regiments　of　the　Empire；　despatched　by　General　Lamboy；　who　had　advanced　with　a　gallant　army　under　his　command；　composed　for　the　most　part　of　veteran　troops。　　The　Colonel　assured　the　Count　that　he　was　ordered　to　obey　his　commands　in　everything；　and　to　give　battle　to　the　Marechal　de　Chatillon；　　who　commanded　the　army　of　France　upon　the　Meuse。　　As　the　undertaking　at　Paris　depended　entirely　on　the　success　of　such　a　battle；　the　Count　thought　it　fitting　that　I　should　go　along　with　Meternic　to　Givet；　where　I　found　the　army　in　a　very　good　condition。　　Then　I　returned　to　Paris；　and　gave　an　account　of　every　particular　to　the　Marechal　de　Pitri；　who　drew　up　the　order　for　the　enterprise。　　The　whole　city　of　Paris　seemed　so　disposed　for　an　insurrection　that　we　thought　ourselves　sure　of　success。　　The　secret　was　kept　even　to　a　miracle。　　The　Count　gave　the　enemy　battle　and　won　it。　　You　now　believe；　without　doubt；　the　day　was　our　own。　　Far　from　it；　for　the　Count　was　killed　in　the　very　crisis　of　the　victory；　and　in　the　midst　of　his　own　men；　but　how　and　by　whom　no　soul　could　ever　tell。

You　may　guess　what　a　condition　I　was　in　when　I　heard　this　news；　M。　de　Cremail；　the　wisest　of　us　all；　thought　of　nothing　else　now　but　how　to　conceal　the　secret；　which；　though　known　to　only　six　in　all　Paris；　was　known　to　too　great　a　number；　but　the　greatest　danger　of　discovery　was　from　the　people　of　Sedan；　who；　being　out　of　the　kingdom；　were　not　afraid　of　punishment。　　Nevertheless；　everybody　privy　to　it　religiously　kept　it　secret；　and　stood　their　ground；　which；　with　another　accident　I　shall　mention　hereafter；　has　made　me　often　think；　and　say　too；　that　secrecy　is　not　so　rare　a　thing　as　we　imagine　with　men　versed　in　matters　of　State。

The　Count's　death　settled　me　in　my　profession；　for　I　saw　no　great　things　to　be　done；　and　I　found　myself　too　old　to　leave　it　for　anything　trifling。　Besides；　Cardinal　de　Richelieu's　health　was　declining；　and　I　already　began　to　think　myself　Archbishop　of　Paris。　　I　resolved　that　for　the　future　I　would　devote　myself　to　my　profession。　　Madame　de　Guemenee　had　retired　to　Port　Royal；　her　country…seat。　　M。　d'Andilly　had　got　her　from　me。　　She　neither　powdered　nor　curled　her　hair　any　longer；　and　had　dismissed　me　solemnly　with　all　the　formalities　required　from　a　sincere　penitent。　　I　discovered；　by　means　of　a　valet　de　chambre；　that；　captain　　of　the　Marshal's　Guards；　had　as　free　access　to　Meilleraye's　lady　as　myself。　　See　what　it　is　to　be　a　saint！　　The　truth　is；　I　grew　much　more　regular；at　least　affected　to　be　thought　so；led　a　retired　life；　stuck　to　my　profession；　studied　hard；　and　got　acquainted　with　all　who　were　famous　either　for　learning　or　piety。　　I　converted　my　house　almost　into　an　academy；　but　took　care　not　to　erect　the　academy　into　a　rigid　tribunal。　　I　began　to　be　pretty　free　with　the　canons　and　curates；　whom　I　found　of　course　at　my　uncle's　house。　　I　did　not　act　the　devotee；　because　I　could　not　be　sure　how　long　I　should　be　able　to　play　the　counterfeit；　but　I　had　a　high　esteem　for　devout　people；　which　with　such　is　the　main　article　of　religion。　　I　suited　my　pleasures　to　my　practice；　and；　finding　I　could　not　live　without　some　amorous　intrigue；　I　managed　an　amour　with　Madame　de　Pommereux；　a　young　coquette；　who　had　so　many　sparks；　not　only　in　her　house　but　at　her　devotions；　that　the　apparent　business　of　others　was　a　cover　for　mine；　which　was；　at　least；　some　time　afterwards；　more　to　the　purpose。　　When　I　had　succeeded；　I　became　a　man　in　such　request　among　those　of　my　profession　that　the　devotees　themselves　used　to　say　of　me　with　M。　Vincent；　〃Though　I　had　not　piety　enough；　yet　I　was　not　far　from　the　kingdom　of　heaven。〃

Fortune　favoured　me　more　than　usual　at　this　time。　　I　was　at　the　house　of　Madame　de　Rambure；　a　notable　and　learned　Huguenot；　where　I　met　with　Mestrezat；　the　famous　minister　of　Charento。　　To　satisfy　her　curiosity　she　engaged　us　in　a　dispute；　we　had　nine　different　disputations。　　The　Marechal　de　la　Forde　and　M。　de　Turenne　were　present　at　some　of　them；　and　a　gentleman　of　Poitou；　who　was　at　all　of　them；　became　my　proselyte。　　As　I　was　then　but　twenty…six　years　of　age；　this　made　a　great　deal　of　noise；　and　among　other　effects；　was　productive　of　one　that　had　not　the　least　connection　with　its　cause；　which　I　shall　mention　after　I　have　done　justice　to　a　civility　I　received　from　my　antagonist　in　one　of　the　conferences。　　I　had　the　advantage　of　him　in　the　fifth　meeting；　relating　to　the　spiritual　vocation；　but　in　the　sixth；　treating　of　the　Pope's　authority；　I　was　confounded；　because；　to　av